Overview

Moab is a wonderful destination for anyone - there are so many natural wonders around (just think of Delicate Arch), the surrounding national parks - Arches and Canyonlands, incredible mountain biking, and of course the rock and its sandstone towers. I love Moab and although I live less than 3 hrs away via car, I visit only a couple of times a year. Somehow my life became more busy than expected with work and renovating my old victorian home, somehow the college payments for my son were more than I expected, so I ended up being stuck in my work more and more.

Thank you Dow for inviting me to join you and your friends for a 3 day climbing trip and incredible camping below Castleton. You dragged me up some hard stuff, which I would not be able to lead, I had tons of fun, and loved watching evening light reflecting on Castleton.

Our itenary:

Day 1: North Chimney on Castleton (my 2nd time up that tower, first time was via Kor Ingalls) - warm up for me since I have not climbed the whole summer

Day 3: Sorcerer's Apprentice, right side tower, by mile marker 1, Colorado River (page coming out soon, it was very dirty and hard)

Day 4: Time to go home - quick visit to Island in the Sky (I avoided national parks in recent years because they don't allow dogs, and since Duchess had a sitter at home, I was free to do some hiking).

Castleton - North Chimney 5.9 warm up

Nice new cairn by Castleton parking lot.

Nice evening light on Castleton as seen from our campsite.

Beautiful approach to Castleton.

2nd pitch of North Chimney on Castle

Summit of Castle with a nice view of the Rectory, Nuns and Priest.

Self photo inside North Chimney

Washer Woman 5.10d - the rain/clouds/thunder and then it passed...

Approach to Washer Woman - nice little hike by its own means...

The debate in the car was going - should we be climbing when the weather looks like this?

Washer Woman on the right and Monster Tower on the left

We had two teams (we drove together since the drive is rough and long - over 2 hrs)

Morning sun and clouds reflecting on Airport Tower (the large one in the middle), and Monster Tower and Washer Woman peaking behind on the left side of Airport Tower.

There is a fixed line leading to the saddle between Washer (on the photo) and Monster, which would be to the left.

Fixed rope on the approach to saddle between Washer Woman and Monster Tower.

Monster Tower - left and Washer Woman right.

In Search of Suds 5.10d - 1st pitch and Dow getting over the crux move.

Looking down on the start of 2nd pitch - our 2nd team sitting at the first belay anchor. I am just above the eye.

Washer Woman and Monster Tower as seen from Mesa Arch, Island in the Sky - probably one of the more famous spots to view this incredible formations

Storm was moving in our directions and thunder was accompanying our climb. Monster tower as seen from the 2nd pitch of Washer Woman.

Monster Tower as viewed from the top of 3rd pitch on Washer Woman.

Rain and thunder are not good on the summit of towers... Dow searching and making quick rap descent anchors. At least we summited first 3 pitches, our 2nd team did only 2.

Eye on the 2nd pitch of Washer Woman.

Sorcerer's Apprentice, Right Side 5.11 - very dirty climb (it was raining a lot the previous days and there was so much bird poop)

Sorcerer's Apprentice - a small sort of a tower by mile marker 1, above Colorado River.

Nice views down onto Colorado river.

3 pitches leading up to a little summit, and the route offers all, cracks from fingers to stacking hands, off width, overhangs, chimney and stemming, cool belay cave spot on 2nd pitch and tons of dirt and bird poop.

Dow on the first pitch of Sorcerer's Apprentice - the climb was really dirty after all that rain (or is it always like that?)

All that rain and floods in Colorado made the river muddy.

Good times of camping below Castle - one cannot get tired of that view.